Amusement apparatus.



No. 884,462. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908. W. H. BRYANT.

AMUSEMENT AP PARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1907. RENEWED P212. 9,1908.

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No. 884,462. PATENTED APRIM, 1908.

W. H. BRYANT.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION EILED MAY 17, 1907. RENEWED FEB. 19,1908.

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-w. H. BRYANT. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17 1907.RENEWED PEB.19,1908.

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' Inventor".-

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

WILLIAMH. BRYANT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FREEMAN HUNT,TRUSTEE, OF CAM-BRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application at m 17, 1907, Serial No. 374,134.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom tt may concern:

it known that 1, WILLIAM BRYANT, a citlzen of the, United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Amusement Apeparatus', of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings. i n

The invention consists in certain improvements in amusement apparatus ofthe general class in which a base-ball or the like is thrown at a markfrom a short distance.

Broadly stated, the invention consists in an amusement apparatus of theclass above referred to, comprising, in combination, a mark at which abase-ball is to be thrown or hurled, an interference device orinterfer-' ence locatedin advance. of the said mark, and means toproduce relative reciprocation of the said mark and interference in adirection intersecting the path of flight of the said base-ball, tocauseone of such parts to pass into and out ofline withthe other thereofwith frequency. During the brief interval while the mark andinterference remain f in line with each other the interference covers orshields the mark so as to block or divert a base-ball proceeding directltoward the'mark. It is possible to lan the base-ball against or withinthe mark only when the former isjjthrown so that it a proachesthe latterat a moment when t e mark and interference are disalined witheach other.

TTlid'ihveIition is shown herein embodied in two figures which are madeup to resemble base-ball players, one representing a batter and one acatcher, the batter holding in its hands a bat, extended, constitutingthe interference deviceor interference; and the catcher being in placebehind the bat, with hands gloved and roperly disposed for catching aball .whic passes the bat, such hands constituting the mark at which theball is thrown. The bat is shown-as having combined therewith mechanismby which it is swung up and down automatically infront of thecatchershands-so that at short intervals of time, while passing theposition of the said hands, it momentarily shall be capableofblockingthe entrance into the concavity thereof of a ball thrown atsuch concavity.

The hands, of the catcher, also, have combined therewith mechanism bywhich they are moved automatically so as to continuously shift theirposition up and down. Thereby the undertaking to hit the catchers handsby a thrown ball which shall pass clear of the moving bat is renderedmore complicated, and the difficulty of succeeding is increased.

In the drawings,- Figur.e 1 shows the figures aforesaid in elevation.Fig. 2 shows the batter in section in horizontal passing approximatelythrough the ebowoint, the bat being partly broken away. Fig. 3 shows aortion 0f the batter in vertical section an with the spring drum partlybroken away. Fig. 4 is a view of the motor mechanism of the batter,showing the side thereof which is opposite that represented in Fig.- 3.Fig. 5 shows in lan the catchers hands, and a mechanica sounding deviceapplied thereto and adapted to be 0 erated by a ball striking fairlywithin the sair hands Fig. 6 is a diagram of an electrical arrangementfor sounding a bell when the ball strikes properly.

In the drawiugs,A designates the figure of the batter, and B is the batheld by the hands 0, C, of the said figure. D is the figure of thecatcher, and E, E, are the gloved hands of the latter figure. Thefore-arms F, F, of the batter are connected movably able them to swingup an down with the bat. For the actuation of the bat, a rockshaft, 1,Figs. 2, 3, and 4, is provided. This rockshaft extends from one side ofthe body direction from front to rear in Fig. 1 of the drawings, itsaxis being located in line with exposed to view in Fi 1. Upon theopposite ends of this rocks aft are mounted and fixed the arms 2, 2,Fig. 2, which extend in the same direction as the fore-arms F, F, andhave the latter connected with or built upon the same. The arms 2, 2,converge toward each other, and the converging ends thereof receivebetween-them the handle-end of the bat B, the said ends and the batbeing socured together b bolts 3,- 3, andnuts 4, 4, so as to hold the atfirml A- cross-tie or brace, 5, laced between t e converging por tionsof t e arms 2, 2, and having'its 0 pclane with the remainder of the fiure,-so as to ensite ends secured to the said arms by olts of the batterto the other, that is to say in the r the elbow-portion of the arm whichis fiilly 6, 6, and nuts or taps 7, 7, joins the arms togetherintermediate the bat and the rockshaft so as to give greater strengthand enable the bat and its carrying means to withstand to greateradvantage the elfects of blows of balls against the free end of the bat.

With the rockshaf t 1 I combine a counterbalance, 8, Figs. 2 and 3, forthe arms 2, 2, forearms F, F, and bat B, and I also combine with itmeans by which it automatically is rocked so as to produce the requiredmovement of the bat. The means just mentioned comprises, in thedrawings, a rotating crank, 9, Fig. 4, which is connected by a link, 10,to an armll fixed upon the said rockshaft, and a spring motor, shown inFigs. 3 and 4, which is connected by gearing with the said crank.

B the rotation of the crank occasioned bu y the sprin motor. therequired rocking movement of the roc-kshaft is produced.

The crank 1) in gear-connection with .the s ring-motor by means of aspur-pinion 12, P ig. 4, which is fixed to the crank, and a spurgear 13with which the pinion 12 engages, the said gear 13 being lixedlyconnected with the drum 14, of the spring motor, and the said drum andgear being mounted upon a supporting shaft 15 with capacity to turnindependently with relation thereto. Within the drum 14 is contained thespring 16, Fig. 3, one end of which is made fast to the drum and theother end thereof to the said supporting shaft 15. For the purpose ofenabling the spring to-.l)e wound up, the shaft .15 has fix ed thereon aspur-gear 17, Fig. 3,with

which meshes a spur-pinion 18, on a wind ing shaft 19, the outer end ofwhich projects to the exterior of figure A at an accessible point and issquared to receive asuitable key, 20, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.To prevent retrograde turning of the shaft 15 after the spring has beenwound up by the means 'Fst explained, a ratchet or detent wheel 21,

ig; 3, is fixed upon shaft 15, and a weighted awl 22, for engagingautomatically with the teeth of the said wheel, is pivoted upon anadjacent fixed part of the supporting stand or framework. As the drum 14is turned by the action of the spring, rotary movement is transmittedtherefrom to the crank 9 through the gearing 13, 12. the rate ofrotation of the crank t), and consequently of the fre uency, etc, of theswinging movements of tie bat B, a. governor or fly is provided at 23,Figs. 3 and 1, it being in gear-connection withcrank 9 through gt-iaring24, 25, 25, 26, Fig. 4, the spur-pinion it being fast on the shaft ofthe governor or tiy 2i}, and the spurear being fast with the crank, thesai spur-pinion and spur-gear being connected through the 'intei'ireninggears. 25, 25, etc. The said governor or fly may be, in practice, of anyapproved character and construction.

The arms H, H, of the catcher are mounted 'ing arms 2 2 thereof beingshown in wrists.

For the regulation of fixed support 135,

and actuated substantially as in the case of those of the batter,portions of the support; 1g. 5, the construction, connections, andactuating spring motor being essentially the same as those alreadydescribed. These features are unnecessary to be shown and described indetailf The winding-shaft, 27, of the spring motor of the catcher isindicated in Fig. 1.

In practice, the movable parts of both figures may be made to operate,but so as to cause the bat and the catchers hands to move alwaysoppositely with reference to each other. Or the relative s eeds may bevaried, so that the bat shal move more rapidly than the catchers hands,or, vice versa. Or the bat may be caused to move while the catchershands stand still, or vice versa.

For the pur ose of announcing or signal ing the fact w en a base-balllands against or within the mark, i. e. in the present instance thecatchers hands, I combine with the latter either a mechanical device asin Fig. 5, or an electrical arrangement as in Fig. 6. Thus, in Fig. 5, amovable 'plat-e is located within the concavity of the hands E, E. Thisplate extends across the rear portion of the said concavity, and abaseball which passes fairly into the concavity 9 will make impactagainst the plate. The plate is furnished with a rearwardly projectingstem or spindle 29, which works in a guide 30 that is supported by or inconnection with the hands E, E, at or adjacent the \Vithin this guide isan expanding spiral spring, 31, which is compressed between a collar atthe rear end of the guide and a shoulder on the forward portion of thespindle. By the expansion of the spring, the spindle and plate are heldin an advanced position, with a stopcollar 32, that is fixed upon therear portion of the spindle, in contact with the rear end of guide 30.The blow of the base-ball upon the front face of plate 28 drives backthe latter and spindle 29, overcoming the resistance of the spring 31,after which the sprin in expanding, moves the spindle and plate forwardagain. At 33 is the shell of a. gong, at 341-, the clapper or hammerthereof, hung or pivoted to the 'and at 36 is the retracting spring forthe said clapper or hammer. hen the plate 28 is driven back h the innpact of the base-ball, the rear end 4 o 2) by anti! A .ainst the clapperor P! throws to cause it to strike the. latter to sound. ln

tr-ieratxd by the plate 25 when driven back by the impact of The saidcontact is trmrie-z ted by ing wire 38 with an t wh ch a wire. 41-11exited s of plate 28.

battery 41; 1 At 42 is a fixed contact or terminal against which themovable contact or terminal 37. is carried by rearward movement Contactor terminal 42 is con nected with the other pole of the battery &1 bywire 43. l/Vhe'n movable contact or terminal 37 is caused to touch fixedcontact or terminal 42, the circuit is completed to and through theelectro-magnet 39, and the latter,-becoming excited, acts upoan armatureleverd to move the latter. he movement of the said armature lever ismade instrumental in causing an electric bell or buzzer to sound.Thus,'from the said lever a wire extends to one binding post of the hell4?, and from the other binding post of the latter a wire 458 extends toand connects with the wire 48. At 50 is a wire connecting with the wire40 and extending to the fixed contact 49. The movement of the armaturelever aforesaid causes it to touch fixed contact 49, thereby closing thecircuit "from the battery through the bell. In order to prolong theringing of the bell, a dashvot, 51, of well-known type is combined wlththe armature lever 44, this-dash-pot acting to retard .the returnmovement of the armature lever under the action of spring 52 after thecontacts at 37, 42 have separated and the excitation of theelectro-magnet 39 has ceased, and thus prolong the period of theengagement of the said armature-lever with the fixed contact 49.

While I have been careful to describe fully the illustrated embodimentofthe invention, it is to be understood that the details ofconstruction, etc., may be varied in many're spects without involvingany departure from' tr e invention. The particular means and manner ofsupporting and actuating the bat and ca'tchers hands, and the characterof the device for announcing or signaling that the thrown ball haslanded upon. the desired mark,- are not in themselves of the gist o-ftheinvention. The motor employed need not.

necessarily be a s ring motor, for other known motive mec anisms may beused in lieu thereof 1f found desirable.

While the invention is shown and described herein as embodied inconnection with figures re iresentmg a base-ball batter and catcher, theinvention is not necessarily restriated in all its phases to anamusement a aratus in which the mark thrown at is t e ands of abase-ball catcher, and the interference device is a base-ball bat, forthe mark and the interference device or interference may be varied moreor less in design.

I claim as my invention r. In an amusement apparatus, in combination, amark for a missile, an interference in advance of the said mark, andmeans to produce relative reciprocation of the said parts in a directionintersecting the path of flightof the said missile to cause one thereofto pass into and out of line with the other with frequency.

2. In-an'amusement apparatus, in combination, the baseball catcher andits hands, the base-ball batter holding a bat adapted to constitute aninterference in the path of flight ofa base-ball thrown at such hands,and means to produce relative reciprocation of said hands and bat in adirection intersecting the said path to cause one thereof to pass intoand out of line with the other thereof. V I

a 3. In an amusement apparatus, in combination, the baseball. catcherhavin hands disposed to catch a ball, the basebal batter holding a batadapted to constitute an interference in the path of aball thrown towardthe said catchers hands, and meairs to reciprocate the said. hands andthe bat,'respec.- tively, in a direction intersecting the said path. Y

4. In an amusement apparatus, incom- --bination, the baseball catcherhaving hands bination, the base-ball catc er having hands in positionfor catching a ball, the base-ball batter holding a bat adapted toconstitute an interference in the path of aball thrown t0- ward the saidhands, means to produce relative reciprocation of said hands and bat ina direction intersecting the said path, and a signal for announcing thestriking of the said .hands by a thrown ball.

. 6. In an amusement apparatus, in combination, a mark having aconcavity to be entered by a base-ball which is thrown at such mark, aninterference device in advance of the said mark, and means-to producerelative reciprocation of the said iparts in a direc tion intersectingthe path of ht of the said base-ball to cause'one thereo to pass intoand out of line with fre uency.

In testimony whereof affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. j

WILLIAM H. BRYANT. Witnesses:

CHAS. F. 'RANDALL, EDITH J. ANDERSON.

